Page 11 - 200912 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - December 2009

11 Twelve Days of Christmas 11 Twelve Days of Christmas The Twelve Days of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the star to appear, a signal that the feast can begin. The Twelve Days of resurrection of the body, 12) and life Christmas everlasting. At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, Christmas Continued from Page 9 swans and peacocks were sometimes served Continued from Page 9 MORE CHRISTMAS "endored." This meant the flesh was painted MORE CHRISTMAS On the 8th day of Christmas my true love FACTOIDS with saffron dissolved in melted butter. In FACTOIDS addition to their painted flesh, endored birds gave to me... were served wrapped in their own skin and Eight Maids A-milking According to historical accounts, the first feathers, which had been removed and set aside Christmas in the Philippines was celebrated 200 prior to roasting. The eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in years before Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Before settling on the name of Tiny Tim for his spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those country for the western world, likely between character in "A Christmas Carol," three other who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the the years 1280 and 1320 AD. alliterative names were considered by Charles merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the Dickens. They were Little Larry, Puny Pete, and peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for According to the National Christmas Tree Small Sam. righteousness' sake. (Matthew 5:3-10) Association, Americans buy 37.1 million real Christmas trees each year; 25 percent of them On the 9th day of Christmas my true love are from the nation's 5,000 choose-and-cut California, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina gave to me... farms. are the top Christmas tree producing states. Nine Ladies Dancing After "A Christmas Carol," Charles Dickens Oregon is the leading producer of Christmas wrote several other Christmas stories, one each trees - 8.6 million in 1998. The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, year, but none was as successful as the original. Candy canes began as straight white sticks of 3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness, sugar candy used to decorated the Christmas 6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and Alabama was the first state to recognize trees. A choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral 9) self-control. (Galatians 5:22) Christmas as an official holiday. This tradition began in 1836. decided have the ends bent to depict a shepherd's crook and he would pass them out to On the 10th day of Christmas my true love the children to keep them quiet during the gave to me... Although many believe the Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the services. It wasn't until about the 20th century Ten Lords A-leaping year, it is not. It is the fifth to tenth busiest day. that candy canes acquired their red stripes. The Friday and Saturday before Christmas are The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no the two busiest shopping days of the year. Charles Dickens' initial choice for Scrooge's statement "Bah Humbug" was "Bah Christmas." other gods before me; 2) Do not make an idol; 3) Do not take God's name in vain; 4) American billionaire Ross Perot tried to airlift Child singer Jimmy Boyd was 12 years and 11 Remember the Sabbath Day; 5) Honor your 28 tons of medicine and Christmas gifts to months old when he sang the Christmas father and mother; 6) Do not murder; 7) Do not American POW's in North Vietnam in 1969. favorite, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." commit adultery; 8) Do not steal; 9) Do not bear The song hit the top of the pop charts. false witness; 10) Do not covet. (Exodus 20:1- America's official national Christmas tree is 17) located in King's Canyon National Park in California. The tree, a giant sequoia called the Christmas caroling began as an old English On the 11th day of Christmas my true love "General Grant Tree," is over 300 feet (90 custom called Wassailing - toasting neighbors to a long and healthy life. gave to me... meters) high. It was made the official Christmas tree in 1925. Christmas Day in the Ukraine can be celebrated Eleven Pipers Piping An artificial spider and web are often included on either December 25, in faithful alliance with The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. the Roman Catholic Gregorian calendar, or on January 7, which is the Orthodox or Eastern Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) A spider web found on Christmas morning is Rite (Julian calendar), the church holy day. Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James believed to bring good luck. bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas Christmas is a summer holiday in South Africa. bar James. (Luke 6:14-16). The list does not An average household in America will mail out Children are fond of the age-old custom of include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who 28 Christmas cards each year and see 28 eight producing pantomimes - for instance, "Babes in betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders and the cards return in their place. the Wood," founded on one of the oldest ballads Romans. Animal Crackers are not really crackers, but in the English language. Boxing Day on On the 12th day of Christmas my true love cookies that were imported to the United States December 26th, when boxes of food and clothing are given to the poor, is observed as a gave to me... from England in the late 1800s. Barnum's circus-like boxes were designed with a string holiday. Twelve Drummers Drumming handle so that they could be hung on a Christmas tree. Christmas is not widely celebrated in Scotland. Some historians believe that Christmas is The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' downplayed in Scotland because of the Creed: 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, As early as 1822, the postmaster in Washington, influence of the Presbyterian Church (or Kirk), creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus D.C. was worried by the amount of extra mail at which considered Christmas a "Papist," or Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was Christmas time. His preferred solution to the Catholic event. As a result, Christmas in conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and problem was to limit by law the number of cards Scotland tends to be somber. born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under a person could send. Even though commercial Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was cards were not available at that time, people Christmas presents were known in antiquity buried. He descended into hell [the grave]. 5) were already sending so many home-made among kings and chieftains, especially on the On the third day he rose again. He ascended into cards that sixteen extra postmen had to be hired European continent. However, they have been heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the in the city. common among ordinary people in Iceland only Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living during the past 100 or so years. and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) At Christmas, Ukrainians prepare a traditional the holy catholic Church, 9) the communion of twelve-course meal. A family's youngest child watches through the window for the evening Watch for more ‘X’ Mas Factoids!